Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) has cut 10 of the state’s 38 nursing home inspecting positions. That leaves just 28 people to inspect 442 nursing homes! Iowa’s financial challenges were the reason for the reduction. Officials said other staffers in the Inspections and Appeals department could be trained to fill...
Tag: nursing home inspections
GOA – Nursing Home Deficiencies Understated
Here is something scary. The Government Accountability Office has issued a report that finds that general weaknesses in the nursing home survey process contribute to the understatement of deficiencies at nursing homes. Shortcomings of current surveys includes too many tasks, problems with guidance on identifying deficiencies, workforce shortages, surveyor inexperience,...
Making It Harder To Keep Nursing Homes Honest
The Bush administration shut off a source of information last fall about abuse and neglect in long-term care facilities. The rule designates state inspectors and Medicare and Medicaid contractors as federal employees. The new rule, which was issued in September, generally prohibits state health departments and contractors from participating in...